New South Wales

'Help us Keep Sydney Harbour Beautiful' is an ongoing collaborative campaign designed to encourage residents and visitors alike to understand and respect the unique environmental sensitivity of Sydney Harbour.

Sydney Ferries is joined by Tangaroa Blue Foundation, Manly Council, City of Canada Bay Council and non-for-profit marine conservation organisations (including Eco Divers) in building initiatives aimed at fostering better environmental behaviours in Sydney Harbour.

Freshwater Surf Lifesaving Club, on Sydney's Northern Beaches, held their first beach clean up event on Sunday 26th September. Reports from organiser Naomi Donohue, indicated that the clean up went really well with approximately 16kgs collected in 3.5hours.

Data collected included 400+ bits of foam, 1100 cigarette butts and 170+ drink lids, with a fabulous 25 + volunteers. A positive message was highlighted in the community with the event catching the attention of passers by, who stopped to ask questions and lend a quick hand, including two young Nippers that then didn't want to leave!

With such great support we now plan to run a beach clean at the start and end of every patrolling season (late September and April).We survived the beach clean - absolutely exhausted - thanks again to all the volunteers, Surfrider Foundation and Eco Divers, as well as logistical support from Tangaroa Blue, and happily I can say there are club members already planning the next one.

Surfers will be the driving force behind an initiative to keep beaches looking pristine. The Clean Beach initiative, to be trialled on the Central Coast, is supported by Tangaroa Blue and The Surfrider Foundation.

Behind the pilot program is surfer Mandy Marechal and marine biologist Roberta Dixon-Valk. They hope to get other surfers active in removing marine debris from their ocean playground.

The anti-whaling and environmental awareness initiative TransparentSea has scooped the esteemed ASB (Australian Surf Business) Surf Industry Award at the annual Australian Surfing Awards incorporating the Hall of Fame held on Queensland's Gold Coast on the weekend.

The ASB Surf Industry Award is presented to "a person, persons or organisation that has continued to support the growth of surfing industry through financial and non-financial philanthropic contributions in the areas of community, environment and humanitarian aid during the 2009 calendar year".

Transparentsea

An anti-whaling and environmental awareness campaign initiated by professional free-surfer and activist Dave Rastovich saw an epic and testing 36 day voyage by sea start on October 1st between Byron Bay and Bondi.

Dubbed "Transparentsea" the campaign took aim at the Australian Government's lack of action on Japanese whaling activity in the Southern Ocean, as well as highlighting areas of environmental concern along Australia's eastern seaboard.

During their frequent stops down the coast, the Transparentsea team in conjunction with Surfrider Foundation and Tangaroa Blue initiated beach-cleanups with all the rubbish collected, tabulated and added to the National Marine Debris database.